The present invention relates generally to means for supplying automated insertion apparatus with a plurality of small pin-like contact elements and more particularly to a bandolier carrier strip and method for using the same in manufacturing pin-like elements and in connection with automated insertion apparatus.
High volume manufacturing of electronic components, especially printed circuit boards and connectors, requires rapid delivery of the pin terminals and elements to be inserted in the boards or connector housings by automated insertion apparatus. Generally, these terminals and elements such as post-header assemblies, compliant or wire wrap pin terminals and the like, to be inserted or used with printed circuit boards are miniature or sub-miniature in size and require special handling techniques to achieve the desired rapid delivery. In the past, in order to facilitate the handling of these pin terminals, they have been carried to the insertion apparatus by elongated strip carriers or bandoliers in which a plurality of pin terminals are releasably retained. In the insertion process, the bandolier, with its plurality of pin terminals, is fed into the insertion apparatus whereupon the individual pin terminals are removed from the bandolier and inserted, normally press-fit, into the appropriate position in its mating component or printed circuit board. This process is performed at a high pin count rate of operation.
Prior to the insertion operation, the pin terminals must be plated, utilizing an electrolytic or vacuum plating process, with various materials such as tin, tin-lead alloys, nickel, silver, gold, palladium etc. If the prior art metal bandoliers are used to transport the pin terminals through the plating bath, the metal bandolier will also be plated in the plating process. When precious metals are being used, this excess plating of the bandolier carrier can be extraordinarily wasteful of the precious metal plating material. Accordingly, there is a need for a bandolier and method for using the same which provides a low level of waste of the plating material during the manufacture of the pin terminals and which can also be used to efficiently and effectively deliver the pin terminals to the automated insertion apparatus. Further, the miniaturization or sub-miniaturization of contact pins requires closer spacing for higher densities than can be reasonably incorporated in metal carrier strips. Finally, because of the relatively small size of the parts being handled and the tendency of the prior art metal bandoliers to damage these parts, it would be beneficial to have a bandolier which would hold the parts firmly without damage thereto.